Ego foremost, power next and finally wealth. Of course, the last two are big feeders of his ego. His celebrity status will not be influenced by the size of the city. Wherever he goes and stays, he will still be a celebrity. He has already proven this by choosing Cleveland as his first station( not demeaning the place). His ego imbibed what the city could give until it could give no more. Fortunately for Lebron, the other NBA cities hunger for his presence and his ego has been constantly fed.

This made his ego grow bigger as his appetite surfeited with the recognition and craves for more and more.....you see ego can never be satisfied. So what's next?.. The roving eyes of ego are focused in a place with more "food".

Under this criterion, the cities that vie for Lebron could be ranked as follows.......New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, New Jersey and Cleveland.

Power....As I said earlier, power is a great feeder of ego. Lebron is a control freak, believe it or not. Lebron controled Cleveland!!! Heck, he controls the NBA. He's got the NBA "in his hands"! But could he control New York where baseball is king....where the Yankees are loved more than the Knicks? Los Angeles though is a basketball nation. The latest cult in the city (and I hate to say this) is the Lakers with it's "high priest" by the name of " Kobe". But the high priest is aging and pretty soon will have to give up his robe to a worthy successor. Is there a possibility of taking "the robe" by force sooner? Miami? Not possible while the scepter belongs to Wade. No king would want to share and divide his kingdom while he is still strong. Chicago is there to take without much fight, while the "Rose(s) are not in bloom yet. And Chicago is practically "undressing" ( pardon my language) in front of Lebron! New Jersey is very easy victory and invaded and ruled hands down. Cleveland is like a raped woman waiting for her lover to come back. Chicago easily wins this one! But if Lebron's ego wants the challenge, then I said New York and Los Angeles are the biggest contenders.

Money always talks. They say that "money begets money". And money is where New York is. Lots of it! Lebron has learned to be an enterpreneur and a very succesful one. He understands that one does not get filthy rich by depending on ones salaries. He realizes that he cannot work for money but money has to work for him. Unfortunately, "Mamon" does not want to be controled. "Mamon" wants to control. Just look around and see.

The "money city" of the USA is New York. Is there money in Los Angeles? of course there is. But not as much as New York could offer. So bye bye Miami, New Jersey and Cleveland.

At he end, as wise said by King Solomon, evrerything is "Vanity". And Self is lured to be clothed by "Vanity"

Think wisely Lebron..... for .there is also a saying that goes like this........."What does it profit a man to gain the whole whole but loses his life" ?

The Clippers, who have moved as deliberately as any team in their offseason coaching search, are leaning strongly toward hiring either Vinny Del Negro or Dwane Casey, three sources confirmed to CBSSports.com.

Unless something goes awry in the interview or negotiating process, the Clippers will be choosing between two former head coaches fired by their previous teams -- and the two finalists for the Bulls' head coaching job when Chicago hired Del Negro two years ago. Del Negro and Casey are expected to interview with team president Andy Roeser and GM Neil Olshey early next week.

Rather than bring in a half dozen candidates for interviews, the Clippers have conducted a thorough background search on candidates before sitting down face-to-face with them. It is anticipated, but not a foregone conclusion, that the Clippers will have a coach in place in time for the start of the free-agent negotiating period that begins July 1. With an attractive young roster including Blake Griffin, Eric Gordon and No. 8 pick Al-Farouq Aminu, plus about $27 million in cap space to attract free agents, the Clippers' job actually was one of the better opportunities available on the NBA's coaching merry-go-round this summer.

Besides the deliberative nature of the search, one of the sources with knowledge of the situation said persistent overtures from Bobcats coach Larry Brown have slowed the process. But it appears that Brown will remain in Charlotte -- and, in any event, Bobcats GM Rod Higgins presumably will require a firm commitment from his coach at some point. But Brown's inability to become a significant factor in the Clippers' search was "not for his lack of trying," the person familiar with the matter said. Another person directly involved in the process handicapped Brown's chances of landing with the Clippers as "one in a billion."

Twitter de Sam Smith:

I'm surprised by the Clippers coaching search approach. Just had source confirm that D. Casey and V. Del Negro will be only 2 interviewed.

Arnovitz:

It's been seven years since the Los Angeles Clippers conducted a broad search for a head coach. After years of hiring coaches on the cheap, they signed a high-profile candidate, Mike Dunleavy, to a hefty four-year deal in 2003. That relationship ended when Dunleavy was fired as head coach in February and then stripped of his remaining responsibilities as general manager a month later.

Since the end of the season, the Clippers have moved very deliberately though the hiring process. After evaluating a slew of candidates ranging from high-profile names such as Mark Jackson to strong X's and O's minds like Houston assistant Elston Turner, the Clippers have whittled their list of coaching candidates down to Dallas assistant coach Dwane Casey and former Chicago head coach Vinny Del Negro. Coincidentally, Casey and Del Negro were the final two candidates standing when the Bulls were filling their head coaching vacancy in June 2008.

The opportunity

Despite the team's underperformance since its spirited 2005-06 campaign, the Clippers have been accumulating attractive young assets. Forward Blake Griffin, starting shooting guard Eric Gordon, curio center DeAndre Jordan and Thursday's draftees Al-Farouq Aminu and Eric Bledsoe are all 21 years old or younger. In addition, All-Star center Chris Kaman is 28.

It's a very athletic core, one that a new coach can turn loose in transition, particularly with guard Baron Davis running the point. Davis has uncommon court vision and remains one of the league's best passers, but he'll also present a serious challenge for his new coach.

Although Davis insists that he has no problem with offensive structure so long as the coaching staff clearly defines each player's role, history paints him as a difficult customer. Davis had a solid relationship with his first pro coach, Paul Silas, but has publicly clashed with virtually every coach since Tim Floyd took over the Hornets in 2003. In addition to Floyd, the list of Davis' adversaries includes Byron Scott, former UCLA coach Steve Lavin, Mike Montgomery, Mike Dunleavy and even Don Nelson, who benched Davis in his penultimate game in Golden State.

Davis might be temperamental, but he's also a smart, strong and dynamic point guard. Getting him to buy in to a system and recognize his limitations as a shooter and as a player on the other side of 30 won't be easy, but that's the job at hand. Davis loves to play with athletic teammates who can work in transition. He's also beginning to recognize that he can't carry a team by himself.

With all of the youth on the roster, the Clippers' brass should afford its incoming head coach some time to grow with the team. In his brief time as general manager, Neil Olshey has shown himself to be a pragmatist. The Clippers are building for the future, and so long as the new coach can cultivate the team's young talent, he should get something of a long leash -- but progress in the player-development area is a must.

The rematch

In June 2008, Doug Collins took himself out of the running to be Chicago's new coach. The Bulls had fired Scott Skiles on Dec. 24, 2007 and finished out the season with Jim Boylan as interim coach. With Collins out of the picture, the Bulls were down to a pair of finalists -- Casey and Del Negro.

After more than a decade as an assistant under George Karl, Paul Westphal and Nate McMillan, Casey spent a season and a half as coach of a Minnesota Timberwolves team that consisted of Kevin Garnett and a hodgepodge of spare -- and some combustible -- parts such as Ricky Davis, Eddie Griffin, Rashad McCants, Troy Hudson, Marko Jaric and Michael Olowokandi. After posting a 33-49 record in his first season, Casey had the 20-20 Wolves in position for a playoff berth when he was fired in January 2007. Given the team's 12-30 record the rest of the way, it's fair to say that Casey overachieved with his motley crew and got a raw deal.

Del Negro was a surprise entrant into the Chicago search. After a stint as Phoenix's radio commentator, Del Negro spent a couple of seasons in the front office, first as director of player personnel and then as assistant general manager. He had no coaching experience when tapped by the Bulls, but was extremely popular around the league.

Casey went through two interviews, and also endured a strange visit with a psychologist whom the Bulls hired to test his reputedly measured temperament. Meanwhile, Del Negro, who was friendly with then-general manager John Paxson as well as the son of Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf, wowed the Bulls' principals with his spirited presentation. Charmed with the idea of going with a fresh face, the Bulls opted for Del Negro. Casey joined Rick Carlisle's staff in Dallas, where he oversaw the Mavericks' defensive game plan.

The contrast

Casey and Del Negro are a contrast in style and biography. After a college career under Joe B. Hall at Kentucky, Casey never logged a minute in the NBA. A student of the game, Casey moved into the coaching ranks. He joined hoops legend Pete Newell to coach the Japanese national team for five years. He then joined the staff in Seattle, where he mastered the "SOS Defense" and became McMillan's right-hand guy, devising the Sonics' nightly game strategy.

Executives, colleagues and scouts around the league describe Casey as a basketball lifer. Though he's never been inducted as a member of the basketball fraternity, he's regarded as a guy more comfortable with breaking down film and working with players in the gym than swinging a golf club or schmoozing. One front office executive said that if Casey had McMillan's playing career, he'd be 10 years into a successful head-coaching career.

Del Negro has countless friends around the league who sing his praises as a person. His hire in Chicago was a testimony to his affable demeanor and his ability to communicate. Lost in all the heat Del Negro took in Chicago was the overall performance of the Bulls under his tenure. Anyone who watched the Bulls regularly might have a hard time giving him high marks as a tactician, but whiteboard management aside, it's difficult to size up the circumstances that Del Negro experienced in Chicago and conclude that he was a failure.

Del Negro led the Bulls to the playoffs in his first season, which included a spunky first-round performance against the defending champion Celtics. The Bulls then let Del Negro's best scorer walk during the offseason. Then, two months into the season, Bulls general manager Gar Forman essentially gave Del Negro a public declaration of no-confidence. Through it all, Del Negro managed a young team, helped foster Derrick Rose's progress, develop Joakim Noah from a problem child to an untouchable and turn Taj Gibson into one of bigger rookie surprises. After being left for dead midseason, the Bulls scratched their way back to .500 and earned another playoff berth.

Both Casey and Del Negro are regarded as strong communicators, albeit with completely different styles. Casey approaches his interactions with players as a professor. He's neither fiery nor emotional. Meanwhile, Del Negro's most common mantra this past season was, "We'll keep fighting." His young squad did just that.

Casey has engendered a ton of goodwill from present and past employers. If it were up to Hawks' general manager Rick Sund, who presided in Seattle while Casey was an assistant, Casey would be the new head coach in Atlanta today. For all of Del Negro's likeability, he was never able to get on the same page with Chicago's management -- though that might be a product of dysfunction upstairs more than anything else.

The prognosis

Casey has a decisive edge over Del Negro in the X's and O's event. Casey has nearly 2,000 professional games to draw upon from his array of coaching experiences. He learned from one of the game's greats in Newell. He managed stalwart defensive squads in Seattle. And he helped out with the adjustment from a rigid structure during Carlisle's early struggles in Dallas (remember the Mavs' rough 2-7 start in 2008?) to their successful "push" offense, which allowed Jason Kidd to orchestrate a read-and-react system.

One can imagine Casey installing a similar system with Clippers. Davis would assume the role of Kidd. Unlike Dunleavy, Casey wouldn't commandeer specific sets from the sidelines (at least for the first three quarters). Instead, he would assign his players spots, let them move freely in the half court and demand that they make sharp reads. There would also likely be a steady diet of early drag screens with Blake Griffin and quick pick-and-pops with Chris Kaman.

This approach would require great accountability for both Casey and Davis. In some sense, the two men would be tied together with a common goal. Both have something to prove. The Clippers' gig would be Casey's second -- and possibly final -- shot at building the head-coaching career that he's worked tirelessly to get. Davis' great achievements as a player can be boiled down to two glorious weeks in April 2007. If he wants his legacy as a basketball player to consist of more than just an epic first-round upset and folk-hero status, he'll need to graduate into a steady influence over a young, athletic Clippers core.

Casey has been devising smart defensive schemes for nearly two decades alongside some of the savviest strategists in recent memory. Though the Clippers will be without the infallible services of Marcus Camby for the first time in three seasons, they will have plus-defenders all over the floor whom Casey can sculpt into a coherent defensive unit. Casey is also versed in the emerging field of advanced statistics. He's worked with analytics godfather Dean Oliver in Seattle and most recently in Dallas with innovator Roland Beech. He understands how to asses which units are performing up to par and how to make data-driven adjustments.

Del Negro has been roundly criticized for his game plan and in-game adjustments, be it his "after timeout" sets or his inability to draw up creative alternatives to the Bulls' rote offense. Examine enough Bulls game tape from the past two seasons and you'll see a predictable procession of middle pick-and-rolls at the top of the floor. Under Del Negro's direction, the Bulls finished 18th in offensive efficiency in 2008-09, then fell to 28th without Ben Gordon in 2009-10.

Defenders of Del Negro will counter that he can't be faulted for using the path of least resistance. What's a coach supposed to do with few -- if any -- consistent perimeter shooters and zero post scorers? Rose was the only arrow in Del Negro's quiver and the second-year guard hasn't developed an outside shot of his own. Still, the stagnation in the offense was palpable. Luol Deng's versatility was rarely put to use and there are countless examples of the Bulls failing to capitalize on mismatches in the half court.

Defensively, Chicago got at it. After finishing 18th in defensive efficiency in Del Negro's first season, they vaulted to 10th, which is pretty impressive considering Rose's shortcomings at the top of the floor as an on-ball defender. Del Negro did an admirable job simplifying coverages for his younger, less-experienced players. In general, Chicago's youngsters grew immensely under Del Negro. His most vociferous critics insist that causality is an "in-spite-of" not "because-of" phenomenon, but it's hard to argue with the results.

The decision

The commitment to either Casey or Del Negro will be the biggest hire the Clippers have made in a long while. There's a reason that, among the dozens of coaching candidates on the market, these two have emerged as the finalists. Olshey is close with Del Negro and has a fondness for Del Negro's record of developing the Bulls' young talent. But the Clippers' general manager also has immense respect for Casey's acumen and character.

When Chicago elected to go with Del Negro two years ago, he was a clean slate. That's the thing with first-time coaches: Teams can imagine them to be whatever they want them to be. Two years later, Del Negro comes with the baggage of a tumultuous tenure in Chicago that exposed some of his weaknesses as a strategist and head man. Casey garners a lot of praise for his knowledge of the game, yet he's still a relatively unproven commodity who has never coached a postseason game.

The Clippers have given themselves a very distinct choice. And the outcome of this test for the organization will tell us a lot about its approach to the future.

Sobre el tema de los agentes libres:

Now that chicago has come out as a potential lebron suitor thats able to sign two 2010 free agents, our odds have definitely gotten worse. Sure the current starting five of:

To compare the two rosters you start at the point guard position. Asides from athleticism for the next 7 or 8 years, court vision, and ability to lead a talentless team to the playoffs, Derrick Rose edges out Baron in the efficiency ratings. Rose produced an efficiency rating of 21.2 while Davis earned a 17.5. Along with long term vision in mind you have to give it to the Chicago Bulls Derrick Rose.

At the 2 spot assuming Chicago starts Luol Deng at the 2 or the 3 lets still compare the two because they are the closest to position under contract. Eric Gordon had a stagnant year compared to last producing an efficiency rating producing 13.2. Luol Deng's track record of getting injured, not really grabbing the team by the throat and leading them when he could have a few years back may raise some flags but even with all that he still produced an efi of 18. I mean this is the guy, along with Ben Gordon, was almost traded to the Lakers for Kobe Bryant! Position wise you give this one to the Bulls.

At the 4, you have Blake Griffin or Chris Bosh. Sce Blake hasn't played a day of regular season yet and Bosh is Bosh, no stats needed. Chicago wins.

At the 5 you have Chris Kaman vs Joakim Noah. I'd really like to hate noah but you can't deny his defensive and rebounding ability. Noah averaged 10.7 points 11 rebounds 1.5 blocks and .5 steals. Chris Kaman averaged 18.5 points 9.3 rebounds 1.24 blocks and .5 steals per game. What's impressive was that Kaman averaged 9.3 boards alongside Marcus Camby who averaged 12.1 rebounds while on the clippers! Kaman also nearly doubles Joakim Noah's point total with 18.5 points per game. Chris Kaman and the clippers win this round.

So positionally the Chicago Bulls have 3 positions that I view as an upgrade compared to the Clippers. What I also didn't realize is that the Bulls roster with James and Bosh will not only have 3 all stars but will no doubt have have 3 members of the elite of elite Team USA assuming Derrick Rose gets asked to go to London, which seems likely.

All you can do...

If the Clippers can get Lebron's Camp and Chris Bosh's Camp to agree to come over if they can clear space I would call Toronto and do a sign and trade with Chris Bosh for Chris Kaman and Aminu, or Baron Davis and Aminu. Salary wise, it may be tough with Kaman but with Baron it just may work out. Even than a starting five of :1-Baron Davis, 2-Eric Gordon, 3- Lebron James, 4-Blake Griffin, & 5- Chris Bosh still may not be enough to trump Chicago's power house. Chicago has two things for its roster 1- Derek Rose at the point, 2- Chris Bosh is WAY more effective at the 4 than the 5.

At this point all you can hope for being a western conference team is the off chance that Philadelphia realizes that the notion of Iguodala and Turner probably won't work out and they let us just absorb that contract of his and all the potential free agent tag-teams all stay in the east coast. That would take down Utah and Phoenix in the talent poolgive us a fighting chance.

Having said that, Hawks free agent Joe Johnson is expecting a hard sell from the Knicks in the event LeBron opts to go elsewhere. Johnson has set up shop in Los Angeles with his agent, Arn Tellem, who has an excellent relationship with Walsh. As of early Monday, Johnson had yet to schedule any free-agent visits – in L.A. or elsewhere. One person with ties to Johnson suggested a possible reason why he is 1) in L.A., and 2) in no hurry to entertain visitors. Don’t be surprised if his strong connection to Clippers GM Neil Olshey explains why Johnson is conveniently ensconced in L.A. for the purposes of signing a max deal with the Clips. As a trainer for Tellem when Johnson was entering the draft, Olshey worked with Johnson and has maintained a strong relationship with him. The Clippers situation is ideal because Johnson wouldn’t have to shoulder the burden as the franchise cornerstone, a title and responsibility that will fall on Blake Griffin. The Clippers, with enough cap space for one max player, will make their run at LeBron, but the answer is expected to be a swift and polite, “No, thanks.” At which point you can expected them to move on to Johnson as their Plan B.

Stoudemire will be receiving visitors in Los Angeles, a person close to him said. As of Sunday night, no visits had been set up. Stoudemire made a few waves over the weekend when he tweeted about having dinner in Chicago with his agent, Happy Walters, and discussing free agency. He went on to mention how good it was to see his friend, Dwyane Wade, at the Nike Skills Academy in the Windy City. (It turns out, there were numerous people at the dinner, not just Amar’e and Wade. So slow your roll, conspiratorial internet rumor mill.) But the person close to Stoudemire provided some insight into what the man they call STAT is looking for in free agency: “He wants to be in a situation where he can win, and where there’s a team around him,” the person said. “He doesn’t want to be the only guy, obviously, and he wants to be in a city he wants to be in. I think everyone forgets that a lot of these guys are going to get pursued by teams that aren’t under the cap and people are going to want to do sign-and-trades.” That’s right, the Knicks, Nets, Bulls, Heat and Clippers aren’t the only teams capable of landing a marquee free agent in the next couple of weeks.

I guess after draft day we're all feeling pretty good about the new Clippers GM. But I'm wondering about some of his actions... first, the trade of a first round future pick for a late round pick this year. This might turn out great and might not, but without knowing the specifics of the trade (the protections) we can't really form an opinion. When will those details be forthcoming? The Clips seem to be in no hurry.

Second, and perhaps more importantly there is the curious decision to wait and hire a coach AFTER the draft. For a while we laid it off on the "Let Lebron choose" gambit. But now the Clips are saying it will probably happen sooner than that. So, why wait until the end of June?

I can only think of one reason: Because Neil Olshey wanted the draft to be seen as his and his alone. He wants to be GM, he sees this as his big opportunity and he wants to prove himself. He didn't want the iinterference or difference of opinion a strong coach might provide. But is this confidence on Olshey's part... or lack there of?

On Monday afternoon at Playa Vista, the Clippers introduced Al-Farouq Aminu and Eric Bledsoe, their first-round draft picks. Both Aminu and his agent Raymond Brothers expressed genuine satisfaction that the 6-9 forward landed with a team that can use his services immediately. Clips’ general manager Neil Olshey hammered home again that the team “has been disguising 2s as 3s” for too long. Aminu’s 7-foot-4 wingspan will come in very handy for a team whose wings have been getting killed on the boards the past few seasons.

Eric Bledsoe made a very interesting decision by committing to Kentucky over Memphis as a high school senior. In doing so, the young point guard resigned himself to playing out of position a good amount of the time alongside John Wall. On Monday, Bledsoe said that the scheme at Kentucky ultimately helped his game because he got a ton of experience playing off the ball. But when asked which position he prefers to play, he unequivocally said point guard. “I like the pressure,” Bledsoe said.

General manager Neil Olshey has become fluent in the art of press conference management. For the second time in five days, Olshey hammered home the organization’s message about Aminu addressing a strong need and Bledsoe’s value at No. 18. The organization’s principals took a victory lap for a draft that most observers feel the Clippers nailed on Thursday.

David Thorpe on Aminu: “The Clippers (and Aminu himself) see him as a 3, but I like him more as a 4. Either way, he’s going to get lots of floor time at both positions. He has the skills and size to immediately impact games. I often say that, in the NBA, the first guy to get to the ball wins the rebound. Aminu, who was drafted No. 8 overall, has the game to be that guy. A lot.”

In Dwane Casey-Vinny Del Negro head coaching vacancy final, Casey is picking up endorsements. Fanhouse’s Sam Amick strongly backs Casey: “The current Dallas assistant coach is a forgotten gem in the NBA, a heralded assistant during 11 seasons in Seattle who coached in Japan for five years with Pete Newell and whose long-awaited head coaching opportunity in Minnesota just so happened to coincide with the dismantling of the Timberwolves’ roster … His story is a reminder of what’s too often forgotten in this league, that coaching is, in fact, a learned profession and prior experience should be factored in far more than it seems to be. Too often it comes down to the politics: who knows who and whose agent holds more sway.”

ESPN Dallas’ Jeff Calpan wonders if the Clippers deserve Casey: “[Casey]’s a great guy, a respected coach around the league and he deserves another shot … Does such a shabbily run franchise that plays second-fiddle to Kobe Bryant deserve a man like Casey? … Even with owner Donald Sterling still in control, there is hope. And Casey deserves a shot to harness it.”

Bledsoe se declara admirador de Baron:

The gaffe of the press conference came from Bledsoe when he was asked what he admired about Baron Davis. "I like Baron's toughness. He goes out and competes every night, even though he's getting old." Oooops. It's possible that Boom Dizzle might bring a little something extra into his first head to head practice with the rookie. Then again, as one scribe quipped, "Anything that will motivate Baron is a good thing."

Algún cachondo le está buscando ya un apodo a Aminu:

I personally vote for "THE CHIEF" or maybe just CHIEF ... I know I know, its lofty calling someone the leader of your tribe without every seeing his prowess as a warrior in the fierce and unforgiving NBA jungle. But hear me out:

1.) First and foremost, AFA descends from a long line of Nigerian Kings...I know we all heard that on draft day about 50 times. But still that's pedigree.

2.) His name literally means "The Chief has arrived." Everytime I hear that in my head I start hearing a drum beat and little Simba being held out over the entire jungle in Lion King with all the denizens bowing to it.

3.) In March 2007, Aminu was arrested for aggravated assault and trespassing for shooting a woman with a BB gun from a vehicle.

The Los Angeles Clippers eye free agency with a mixture of excitement and caution.

Coming off last Thursday's NBA Draft, the team is very happy to have landed Al-Farouq Aminu, Eric Bledsoe and second-round pick Willie Warren.

General Manager Neil Olshey feels they've added three rotation level players to go with their young core. Now they've got viable bodies at every position - something they couldn't say just a week ago.

In addition to the two veteran All-Stars (current or former) in Chris Kaman and Baron Davis, the team has six players between the ages of 19 and 21 including Blake Griffin, Eric Gordon, DeAndre Jordan, Aminu, Bledsoe and Warren.

Depending on where the cap falls (somewhere perhaps in the $56.0 million range), the Clippers project to have about $16.7 million in spending power.

The one player the Clippers would love to have also happens the same player the New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, Miami HEAT, New Jersey Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers would love to have . . . LeBron James.

L.A. will make their pitch in a few days like the rest and hope that they get selected. The team feels their organization offers the best location, core of complimentary players and overall opportunity.

The Knicks, Bulls and HEAT can potentially bring in a second star with James like Chris Bosh or Amar'e Stoudemire. Miami has the potential to keep Dwyane Wade AND bring in two studs.

For the Clippers to get that far below the cap, they have to try to find a taker for either Kaman or Davis. That's theoretically possible if L.A. called up the Dallas Mavericks offering Kaman; Erick Dampier has a non-guaranteed contract that can be immediately cut for significant cap savings.

That would be a bold stroke for the Clippers given that Kaman is coming off one of his best seasons and wouldn't be easily replaceable.

A source says Bosh is not interested in playing center and while that's a position Stoudemire can play - the Clippers would have to be extremely confident that they're going to make that splash if they're going to start cutting into their talent core without any guarantees.

As it is, the team would have to renounce the rights to all of their free agents (Rasual Butler, Steve Blake, Travis Outlaw, Craig Smith, Drew Gooden, etc.) just to have the single max slot.

If the team somehow lands James, the draft will help make that sweeping change palatable.

"We come out of it with three roster level players than can all contribute right away instead of just two," said Olshey. "It takes a little bit of the pressure off of free agency in terms of the volume of players you need to sign."

Gordon at the two is a capable player Neil touts as one of the best on-the-ball defenders at his position. L.A.'s front court with Aminu backing up LeBron, Griffin, Kaman and Jordan should be as powerful as any in the league.

Other than a third point guard to round out the deep bench, the Clippers are set with Baron and Bledsoe.

"It was a very, very light depth chart in terms of point guard in the draft. We think it's a very, very light depth chart in terms of point guards in free agency," said Olshey. "So we just could not get caught going into July back on that routine of trying to find a diamond in the rough - or trying to bring back a veteran who doesn't have enough juice left in the tank."

To add some backup depth behind the bigs or on the wing, L.A. would have the veteran's minimum exception to offer. The team would need to add three to six players to round out the roster.

So do the Clippers anticipate making a huge splash once free agency begins?

"I think splash is the wrong word. I know we're in L.A. but this isn't signing an above the title guy to star in a movie," said Olshey. "We're trying to put a basketball team together. I think that's the splash is finding the right guys to fill out this roster that can give us a chance to win every night. That's the drill. That's what people here are going to get excited about."James would be an above the title star.

The reality is that the Clippers may not be the favorite. There's a very strong possibility that LeBron signs elsewhere.

The next best option at the same position would probably be Joe Johnson who at 6'7" can play three positions (point through small forward). He may not be on the same superstar level as James, but Johnson is one of the best perimeter players in the league.

Last year he averaged 21.3 points a game with 4.9 assists against 1.9 turnovers. He's versatile and at 29 would still be young enough to blend with the two returning vets while helping to bring up his young teammates.

There's always the chance that Dwyane Wade decides to leave Miami and while the Clippers would have to make a stab that seems a stretch. Most of the remaining top free agents are at the four and five including Bosh, Stoudemire, Carlos Boozer, Dirk Nowitzki and David Lee.

Going down the list, Rudy Gay might be the next option. Rudy is a restricted free agent with the Memphis Grizzlies and while he may not quite be a max-level player to get him the Clippers would probably have to overpay.

James and Johnson are proven playoff veterans while Gay has yet to play past mid-April. Rudy is a potent scorer but lacks the playmaking skills of James and Johnson.

That'd be a concern on a team that already has a number of players who can score and not enough who can pass. Rudy has yet to prove himself on the defensive end while the top two choices have strong reputations on the "other" side of the ball.

A veteran option worth watching for might be Paul Pierce if he opts out of his deal with the Boston Celtics. He'd be turning away $21.5 million to do so - how many years would the Clippers have to pay given the available cap space they'd have to offer?

Pierce would be a viable short-term solution but for more than two years given his age (almost 33)?

Other veteran options at 30 or above would include Josh Howard (likely to not have his team option exercised by the Washington Wizards), Ray Allen and John Salmons.

Landing LeBron or even Johnson would be ideal. Beyond that the Clippers are going to have some difficult decisions to make.

Free agency isn't the only option. Using the cap room to absorb players via trade is a tactic the Clippers have used before (most notably with Marcus Camby).

The timing may not be as easy (early July) given the many dominos that need to fall but small forwards who may become available before next season might include Luol Deng, Andre Iguodala, Tayshaun Prince, Mike Dunleavy, Jr. (too ironic), Richard Jefferson, Peja Stojakovic, Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu.

Some are good fits - and some awful. If Danny Granger of the Indiana Pacers became available, he'd be someone the Clippers should make a run at.

Some moves would be easy to make (Howard), some interesting on a short-term basis (Prince). Turkoglu would add playmaking and shooting. Deng is expensive but long and versatile. Iguodala is athletic and defensively sound.

L.A. doesn't have to spend all their money in one place. If the Magic wanted to move Mickael Pietrus, he'd be a fit at $5.3 million a season. That would give the Clippers another $11 million to shop with (even amongst their own free agents).

Ultimately the Clippers have a number of options. They have an exciting, athletic, young core. They have plenty of cap space and the chance to add one of the top free agents.

If they aren't able to snag one of the obvious choices in free agency, it's important the team spends carefully. The Clippers had cap room a few years back and that investment has yet to bear fruit.

Baron Davis was better last season than he was his first year with the team, but he's still owed an expensive $41.8 million over the next three years. If the Clippers have the chance to move Baron either this summer or at the deadline - that should be a consideration.

Dumping Kaman now, barring some assurance from a top free agent big, would be premature. He and Griffin should be a powerful tandem.

Bledsoe could be a good candidate to take over for Baron although it's difficult to bank on a rookie. If there's a risk to make, that'd be the one given Baron's salary and spotty production.

As far as a head coach? The reports appear to be true that the final two candidates include Vinny Del Negro and Dwane Casey. The Clippers hope to have a decision heading into free agency although it may take a few extra days.

Another league executive with knowledge of Schwartz’ dealings said the agent is investigating Pierce’s marketability heading into this summer’s free agent megamarket.

The agent reportedly has looked into the interest of teams, including the Knicks and Clippers, franchises with significant cap space that may lose out on the likes of LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade.

Tabla de agentes libres y posibles salarios:

I originally typed in contenders because that is what all teams should be aiming for...but decided to eschew that route in the headlines because the only option I could think of was LBJ or DWade. Ignoring possibilities (i.e. 99% sure that DWade will stay in Miami) what do you think it will take for the Clippers to hit the playoffs?

No max money should be given to anyone who doesn't make the team an instant contender. If the Clippers strike out, they are in an interesting enough position to make it to the playoffs now (by adding solid non-max pieces) and grow into a contender with the youth core (possibly thinking too highly of the rooks, but I feel that BG will be a top PF soon).

MAX MONEY = INSTANT CONTENDER:

LeBron James (SF) obvious.Dwyane Wade (SG) is fringe considering he will take over the SG and move an important weapon in EJ to the bench (that actually might be a good thing according to some people). That actually doesn't sound bad BD, Dwade, AFA, BG and Kaman, with EJ being the sixth man. Dirk Nowitzki (PF) maaaybe, just mayyybe. Especially if he can somehow play the 3 again, but he's older and less mobile than he was before

MAX MONEY =GUARANTEED PLAYOFFS BUT NOT WORTH IT:

Chris Bosh, Carlos Boozer, Amare Stoudemire (PF) are not going to make them contenders and it remains to be seen but I think BG will be as good as any one of them within two yearsRudy Gay (SF) will not make them a contender (which is why no max money should be offered).Joe Johnson (SF) will not make them a contender (which is why no max money should be offered).Paul Pierce (SF) he's getting old, doubtful he can take them to the Finals, but likely to playoffs.

SOLID FREE AGENTS WHICH MAKE THE PLAYOFFS A POSSIBILITY:

Josh Childress (SF) good solid player, who I think will play well once he's back in the states. May have even gotten better in the EuroLeague.

Mike Miller (SG/SF) has been injury ridden the last season and a half, but was a solid player prior. He's willing to be a 3rd option, but has looked a little too passive lately (good FG%, not sure why he doesn't shoot more).Linas Kleiza (SF) same as Childress. He tore it up in Europe with 17ppg, 48% FG, 35% from 3 and 6.5 rebounds.John Salmons (SG) good scorer, but not a natural SF and if he plays SG, will move EJ to the bench.Josh Howard (SF) similar situation as Mike Miller, but more recent injuries and less court vision.

FREE AGENTS THAT WILL HELP, BUT MAY NOT GIVE THE PUSH NECESSARY TO FEEL CONFIDENT ABOUT PLAYOFFS:

Tracy McGrady (SF) past his prime and it is uncertain whether he will ever get back, big time gamble.Matt Barnes (SF) good glue guy that can play ahead of Aminu until he shapes into form.Richard Jefferson (SF) if he opts out, STAY AWAY

Overall of anything outside of "Instant Contender," I think the "Solid Free Agents" route makes the most sense at the moment. I really like Mike Miller and think he makes the most sense. Josh Howard would be a gamble, but possibly a cheap low risk one. Childress and Kleiza make sense if their contracts are reasonable (i.e. around $6mm a year).

If the rumors going around are correct, Carmelo Anthony will not accept the Nuggets 3 year $65,000,000.00 offer because he does not see Denver as a contender. If Melo rejects the offer, it is likely that the Nugs will try to trade him rather than let him walk at the end of next year. With a salary of $17,000,000.00 this year, do the Clippers a) have the money to sign Melo and b) do we have trade bait that Denver might want?.

Billups is 34 and his contract is expiring soon, and they have Ty Lawson as the future point guard. But if Billups does not re-sign, then they will need a back up PG. We could offer Warren or Bledsoe but would that be enticing to the Nugs? I doubt that would be enough and we lost our 1st round pick next year in the Bledsoe deal. Rumor is the Nugs may dump Nene so maybe the Nugs would be interested Kaman even though he does not really fit into their present system. I would trade Kaman for Melo every day of the week.

I say we should try to get Melo, but will we and can we work out something that Denver would want? I certainly hope so.

So, i read the fanshot earlier about mobley wanting to come back to play in the nba. While commenting in that fanshot, i decided to make a fanpost because i had more to say on this subject and some videos i wanted to share with the nation. I'de love to welcome him with open arms and even shaun livingston. Both these players were with us when we made the playoffs and made contributions and played unselfishly. I know maybe a parade might be too extreme but I was going to talk to clipper darrell today and see what he thinks about doing something creative to bring back Cat and Livy to reunite with the Caveman. Mobley is always at clipper games and he's always flashing a smile. Livingston wants a chance and i saw him play in washington and he seems to be back to basketball form. He might never be the same again but from what i saw this past season, he's got potential to be productive and washington is just packed at the pg and at every other position available. Maybe not every position but it sure does feel like it the way there taking on contracts and dealing with teams opening up more cap space in order to make a run at LeBron. WSH has livy, wall, arenas, foye and i think boykins as well. I could be wrong. thats 5 players playing the same position. Im in a rush to go somewhere so i dont have time to check their current roster. I decided to make a fanpost with some videos to refresh our minds at wat we had before and wat he could possibly have again. So, If this happens, here's what we COULD be looking at. PG - Davis, Bledsoe, Warren, Livingston. SG - Mobley, Gordon, Warren

I had Warren at both pg & sg because i heard he can play both. He already said he wants to run point b/c he wants the ball in his hands to make plays but if we bring back livy, maybe slide him to the two. We could even play livingston at SG or SF due to his height and his ball handling skills. 3 point guards sounds like congestion at the position but with our luck, the injury bug is gonna hit baron davis eventually. I wish i could read into my magic 8 ball and see the future but i cant. I would hate to be the Clipper FO with so many questions lingering right now and possibly the best off-season we've had since 05-06. Not the most productive of course, that award goes to the 07-08 off-season. I know were looking to sign a big FA and we also have smith, blake, outlaw, novak, gooden, collins, brown all RFA as well. From those names, i'de rather have smith than big sofo (whose name i keep hearing come up) and blake for the right price, novak for cheap and everyone else i'll pass on.

Real quick, in other news, Doc rivers is coming back to boston with his exact words being "I want one more run at the championship with this team" so the dream of having paul pierce come to LA is still there but the window just got ALOT smaller. My insider sources are telling me Joe johnson is leaning towards Chcago while shannon brown & jordan farmar will be opting out of their contracts since they feel they can get more PT or more money elsewhere. I dont see us getting Joe Johnson Because he's not a max player in my opinion BUT he's gonna get a max contract. New York already said to offer him the max come july 1st. Is joe johnson a max player in your opinion? Should we go after shannon brown?